eThe Story of Grey Fog’s Talon:
Long before the endless winter an enormous dragon was said to have lived in the hills just outside of the eastern elven city of Liame. The elves called him Grey Fog and cared not that the dragon resided just outside the boundaries of their lands. For the dragon never bothered the elves but instead served as a formidable deterrent to all others that attempted entry into the elves’ magical forests. For centuries tales spread from taverns to temples of Grey Fog, and the terror he rained down on non-elven kind that passed near his domain. Tales of Grey Fog’s malice survived long after the dragon’s natural lifespan and it was another three and sixty years before any interlopers dared to appear around Liame. Losing the protection the dragon offered and tolerating trespassers was not something the elves cared to accept, so their smiths forged a magical blade that became known as Grey Fog’s Talon. This dagger was believed to harness the very powers that the dragon itself enjoyed in life. When the blade was drawn from its sheath, an area of great size surrounding the wielder would become shrouded in a thick grey fog making them virtually invisible to their prey. When the dagger struck home, it is said that a great bolt of electricity would surge through the body its victim, leaving them a smoldering corpse.
Actual Design and Construction:
The original blade blank was forged by Windlass Steelcrafts using 1085 high carbon steel. I dramatically altered and reshaped the profile of the blade. Each side of the blade was hand-etched with the image of Grey Fog on the ricasso and a wreath of holly leaves down the blade. The guard was forged from mild steel. The handle construction consists of a steel riser atop the guard, then a small section of carved African blackwood with a brass spacer separating it from the next piece of Blackwood. A carved steel cap serves as a pommel with a steel skull crusher for a pommel nut. The handle construction involves eight steel lineup pins to ensure the orientation of the seven-piece handle remains true. I used a lock washer and a nut affixed to the threaded tang to hold everything in place. These are hidden under the steel pommel cap which completes the blades takedown construction.
Specifications:
Blade length: 12 inches Overall length: 17.75 inches
Hand grip length: 4 inches Blade width at widest point: 1.625 inches
Guard width: 5.5 inches Weight: 16.03 ounces
Balance point: At the guard
Sheath Construction:
The Sheath is constructed of 4-5 oz premium veg tan leather, wet formed to the blade, and hand stitched up the back. The entire sheath was stained black.
